Questions about painting photorealism in acrylics

by Sandi
(Massachusetts)

Reader Question: I like the idea of learning photorealism. I just purchased some DVDs on how to paint in acrylics landscapes, seascapes etc.

What brand of acrylic paints should I buy?

Should I try this on a smaller canvas at first?

Lastly, which artist projector do you recommend? I'm unemployed so it can't be the super $500 one.

Thank you, you are very talented.

Sincerely,
Sandi

Hi Sandi!


That's great that you want to learn to paint photorealistically in acrylics. To answer your questions:

1. Brand of acrylic paints - I use both Liquitex and Golden paints for my acrylic photorealist paintings, so I can wholeheartedly recommend them.
   
   For the Liquitex paints, I mostly use Liquitex Heavy Body Acrylics, but I do have some jars of Liquitex Soft Body Acrylics that I sometimes use. The Heavy Body acrylics are thicker and can achieve great coverage, while the Soft Body acrylics are handy for glazing purposes.
   
   For the Golden paints, I use Golden Heavy Body Acrylics. Golden Heavy Body Acrylics are extremely high-quality paints. This is reflected in the price, as they are slightly more expensive than the Liquitex versions. Even so, if given a choice I would usually choose Golden brand over Liquitex – but both are very, very good brands of acrylics.



2. Size of canvas - If you are just starting out with photorealistic acrylic painting, then I would suggest working at a smaller size rather than a larger size, but it ultimately depends on what size you feel comfortable working at.
   
   Some people (like me) are naturally at ease with using small brushes to create fine details that can be appreciated close up. Other people are more at home using medium-to-large brushes to create paintings that are best appreciated from a short distance. So it really depends on your personal preference.
   
   My photorealistic acrylic paintings are usually between 6" x 6" and 8" x 10", although I have created some as "large" as 16" x 20" (which is still considered small to some artists!).
   
   For photorealistic acrylic paintings, I prefer working on a wooden panel over a canvas. Because I prefer to work on a small scale, the weave of the canvas becomes too noticeable in my acrylic paintings. For this reason I prefer the smooth surface of a wooden panel.
   
   My favorite wooden painting panels are made by Ampersand. I've happily created many photorealist acrylic paintings on Ampersand Gessobord, which I can wholeheartedly recommend. Depending on the size you get, they can even be cheaper than canvas, and just as good (if not better!) than painting on canvas. Even though Ampersand Gessobords are pre-primed, I still prefer to give them 1-2 coats of gesso.
   
   If you want to work on canvas, two brands of stretched canvas that I can recommend are Fredrix Creative Edge Canvas and Blick Premier Traditional Profile Canvas. I've happily used both of these brands. Even though they are pre-primed, I'd recommend coating them with 1-2 coats of gesso before you get started.



3. Art projector - If you choose to work on a small scale, 8" x 10" or smaller, I would recommend that you use graphite paper to transfer your image, instead of an art projector. You can save money and get more accurate results by using graphite paper to transfer your image. You can read about how to use graphite paper to transfer your image here.
   
   If you are working larger than 8" x 10", then you should look into getting one of these two projectors:
   
   
   • The Artograph Tracer Projector retails for just over $50, making it one of the most affordable art projectors you can get.
   
   
   • The Artograph Designer Projector is a step up from the Artograph Tracer Projector, at double the cost, but still less expensive than many other art projectors on the market.
   
   Be sure to read reviews of these (and any other) art projectors before you decide on one. Many people report that they require really dark rooms in order to see the image you are projecting, especially when using the cheaper projector.
   
   A higher-quality (and therefore more expensive) projector can usually project stronger images without requiring near-complete darkness, so it is a matter of "you get what you pay for" – but with that said, there are many artists happily using these less expensive art projectors.
   
   Hope that helps and Happy Painting!
   
   
   

Artspeak is a free e-newsletter from Art is Fun! featuring: tips, tricks and techniques for your art. artist interviews and features art projects miscellaneous art news

Email Name Then

Don't worry -- your e-mail address is 100% secure. I promise to use it only to send you Artspeak. I'm sure you will love every issue, but you can easily opt-out at any time. Enjoy!